Photo Coverage: First Look at TAKE ME OUT at the Flight Theatre

TAKE ME OUT, the Tony Award-winning drama by Richard Greenberg sceheduled at the Flight Theatre in the Complex has been cancelled. The production will re-open at a future date and place by director Emanuel Millar.

Featured in the TAKE ME OUT cast are Barry Brisco, Kyle Colton, Will Bethencourt, Takumi Bansho, Christian Harris, Hayden Lam, Oscar Pena, Brian Perras, Edwin Rush, Richard Sabine, Gustaf Saige, Peter Stoia, Justin Teitell, and PJ Waggaman.

First produced in 2002, TAKE ME OUT won the 2003 Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Play, 2003 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play, 2003 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding play, 2003 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play, 2003 Tony Award for Best Play, 2003 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play, and the 2003 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play. TAKE ME OUT was also a finalist for the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Much of the play is set in the locker room of a professional baseball team, and as such has an all-male cast that explores themes of homophobia, racism, class, and masculinity in sports.

The play's main character, Darren Lemming, is a popular and successful mixed-race baseball player at the peak of his career when he decides to come out. Several of his teammates react strongly (some supportive and accepting, and some not), and the drama plays out over the course of a baseball season as they learn only team work will make the dream work.

While Glenn Burke was out to teammates and team owners in the 1970s and Billy Bean came out in 1999 after retiring from playing in Major League Baseball for eight seasons, at the time of the writing of this play no Major League Baseball player had ever come out to the public during his career. This play is the dramatic exploration of what such an event might be like.

Playwright Greenberg has stated that one of the compulsions for creating a baseball play was his complete immersion into the sport in 1999 after following the New York Yankees' (then) record 114-win season the previous year, beginning with David Wells' perfect game. Many believe the inspiration for Lemming is American Major League Baseball player Derek Jeter of the Yankees, and for racist pitcher Shane Mungitt, former National League pitcher John Rocker, then of the Atlanta Braves.

Please note that due to full frontal nudity, no one under 18 will be admitted. Please bring your photo ID to present at the box office for admission.

Photos by Shari Barrett.

Kippy and Darren prove baseball is a game of camaraderie, not differences. (from left) Will Bethencourt, Barry Brisco

The coach listens to Kippy's explanation of why the game was lost. (clockwise from left): PJ Waggaman, Kyle Colton, Gustaf Saige, Takumi Bansho, Will Bethencourt

Mason listens to Darren's baseball dreams. (from left): Richard Sabine, Barry Brisco